[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 HONORING THE LIFE OF CELESTINO GAMBINO

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                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2010

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness following 
the passing of Celestino Gambino, proprietor of La Parmigiana 
Restaurant in Southampton, NY and a beloved member of the community 
that I have the privilege of representing.
  Celestino Gambino emigrated to the United States from Palermo Sicily, 
with little money and speaking no English, to make a better life for 
himself, his wife Josephine, and their seven children. He kept his 
family together, and with them and a lot of hard work, he built one of 
the most successful businesses on the East End of Long Island. He was 
devoted to his family, to his church and to his community, and he 
became a beloved figure in Southampton. On July 1 Mr. Gambino passed 
away at the age of 73.
  Celestino Gambino opened La Parmigiana, or ``La Parm'' as it is 
affectionately known, in 1974 as a small pizza parlor, but over the 
years it became a Southampton mainstay. Located on Hampton Road in the 
heart of Southampton Village, La Parm is a family restaurant serving 
plates piled high with Italian food, such as their traditional Sicilian 
dishes, Penne alla Norcina and Margarita con Melenzane. A specialty 
shop in the restaurant sells Italian olive oil, La Parm's own sauce and 
salad dressing, pastries, pastas and other items.
  As delicious as the food is, the true draw of the restaurant was the 
fact that patrons knew they would see Mr. Gambino, smoking his pipe and 
wearing his white apron, when they visited his restaurant, and if not 
him--then one of his family members. All of his children and several of 
his grandchildren work in La Parm, and all of them help give it the 
friendly, welcoming atmosphere it is known for--even when the pick-up 
counter is jammed with people waiting for their orders on a Friday 
night. People knew they could count on Mr. Gambino to give them good, 
quality service, whether they were ordering a slice or sitting down to 
a family meal.
  It is a place of Old World charm, with good food for a good value. 
Mr. Gambino once said that the restaurant sold 20,000 pizza pies a 
year. But as busy as the restaurant kept him, Celestino Gambino always 
had time for people. He always took the time to listen and find a way 
to help, quietly and without fanfare. He was a gentleman, considerate 
and kind, and he was respected for that. In good times and in hard 
times, he kept his family together. On Mondays, the only day the 
restaurant was closed, the family would gather at his home far a family 
meal. He would always sit at the head of the table surrounded by his 
wife, their seven children and 19 grandchildren. On Sundays he made 
dinner for the priests at his church, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary 
Roman Catholic Church.
  The Gambino family is a shining example of the hard work, family 
love, and generosity of spirit that have made this country great. With 
the death of Celestino Gambino, we have lost a bit of Southampton, but 
we know that his family will carry on the traditions he established at 
the place he owned and operated for 36 years, and in them he will live 
on and we will be constantly reminded of the values for which he stood.

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